Even after Mark Sanchez made McClellin look inept in the first exhibition game -- Mark Sanchez? Yeesh -- the failed defensive end-turned-questionable-linebacker apparently doesn’t have to sweat cutdown days, no matter how easy he has been to cut down in his Bears career. At least, that’s the fear I have based on the way I read the Bears linebacker coach.

“It’s a process,’’ Herring said. “Y’all be patient. At the end of the day, we’ll know after the first game, second game, where we’re at with him. But right now, he’s on schedule. He needs to play more games, and I really believe that he’ll be a solid player for us.’’

First game, second game? I hope he’s talking about the exhibition season and not the regular season. I’d hate to think that in this season of Super Bowl or bust, the Bears are giving McClellin live tryouts on Sundays that matter (and Mondays and Thursdays and any other day, even in your backyard, if TV says so).

If Herring is talking about the first or second game or the practice season, then we’ve already seen the first game, and McClellin made two -- count 'em, two -- tackles in 29 snaps while looking inconsistent in shedding blocks, reading run plays and pass coverage. So, everything’s riding on the Jaguars game Thursday.

If Herring meant the second game of the regular season, then that might be too late.

The Bears will beat the Bills in the opener at home, but then come the 49ers, a Super Bowl favorite. The Bears, who can’t afford any kind of stupidity or choke like 2013, are going to San Francisco for the game, a place they haven’t won since Oct. 13, 1985. The 49ers can play the read-option and power game, neither of which McClellin can stop.

OK, everyone, palm-to-forehead time.

Or maybe it’ll take three, four, five regular-season games to see what the Bears have in McClellin, and then you’re talking Packers and Panthers. The toughest part of the Bears schedule comes when Herring actually might be asking for patience as the coaches figure out what they have in a guy who doesn’t have exceptional talent for his new position and the only reason he’s playing it is because the Bears were so wrong about his old one.

“He moves as good as any of these other linebackers,’’ Herring said. “He has made plays as good as any backer out here. It’s a matter of game experience, playing fast and adjusting to certain things he hasn’t seen in a couple years.’’

Didn’t we hear similar rhetoric two decades ago when it was John Thierry? Yes, I think we did. Physical specimen, nice college resume, professional flop because he wasn’t right for defensive line or linebacker.

Maybe Herring is doing the “Animal House’’ thing in response to the abuse fans and media heap on the Bears’ failing first-round pick.

“Hey, they can’t do that to our pledges.’’

“Only we can do that to our pledges.’’

It’s likely that Herring is forced to be Phil Emery’s sock puppet in this case. I know politics might demand that Emery protect his first-ever draft pick, but tell me how this helps the Bears win a Super Bowl?

Look, the only thing worse than making a mistake like taking the wrong guy with a first-round draft choice is failing to stop the bleeding by guaranteeing a roster spot for someone who should be a bubble player. Wasn't Emery the one who spent an entire news conference using the word "competition'' like he was on commission?

It’s possible I’m reading Herring wrong. The scary thing for the Bears' championship hopes is that I might not be.

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